The Revolution Has Started, but is it Good or Bad?

In my very first column for OpenPaddock.net, I talked about how much of the magic in US rallying is created by the unique variety of cars and the “can-do” attitude of crews. While I would love to see a US round of the WRC, I would never want the US rally scene to lose the care-free approach that makes it so special. With eight R5 cars on the entry list for the upcoming 100 Acre Wood Rally, it’s fair to say that momentum is increasing when it comes to the…

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Are Hyundai and US Rallying a Match Made in Heaven?

By Jon Scoltock Hyundai have been on my mind a lot recently. That sentence would have been unimaginable 10 years ago, but the South Korean manufacturer has undergone something of a transformation in recent years. In fact, I think I would go as far as to say that they are probably one of the most exciting car makers in the world right now. I know that might seem like a far-fetched idea, but hear me out. When I was a kid, Hyundai made fairly dependable, but pretty crappy family cars.…

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Horses for Courses

McKenna's Skoda R5

Horses for Courses Another view from across pond by Jon Scoltock No, I haven’t written a column about four-legged transport instead of the four-wheeled kind, but I have been thinking about how different machines work for different events; something that has been well illustrated in recent weeks. We’ve just enjoyed the spectacle of a brand-new WRC event, Rally Estonia, which delivered plenty of drama. It was obviously really cool to see WRC cars in action again, but it also made me think about how unique rallying is, or perhaps was?…

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Recollections of a Titan of US Rallying

Recollections of a Titan of US Rallying By Jon Scoltock The ARA series is a different place in 2020. Getting back underway at the Southern Ohio Forest Rally was awesome and it’s great to see the series growing, but it still feels like a very different championship without David Higgins. David is a force that has dominated US rallying for many years, racking up 10 titles since 2002 so, while he is absent from the series this year, it still seemed a good enough excuse to use my second article…

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Why This Brit is Jealous of Rallying in North America

Why This Brit is Jealous of Rallying in North America by Jon Scoltock Yes, that’s right, a guy from one of the biggest rallying countries in the world is jealous of the rally scene in the USA. I know exactly what some of you are going to be thinking as you read that statement, but I would ask you to hear me out before you assume that I’ve gone mad from being in lock-down.   I consider myself very lucky to live in the UK. It’s obviously a pretty nice,…

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Made Mike’s Musings – Thirty-Three Co-Drivers!

After a few years spent drag racing and bombing around Ohio Buckeye backroads in the late 1960s it took a benefit gimmick rally in San Angelo, Texas to launch my life-long rallysport affliction. After tiring of quarter-mile long straight runs on tarmac and dodging harmless rubber cones in a parking lot, the prospect of doing a speed competition on an open unpaved road with a teammate to help you go fast was impossible to pass up! Your cockpit compatriot in performance rally wasn’t a simple navigator, oh no! He/she was…

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Mad Mike’s Musings – Speed Meets the Snowbank

Welcome to our new series “Mad Mike’s Musings” by Mike Halley.  For those of you that have been involved in North American rallying for a long while, you’ll recognize the name. Mike has been involved in rallying in one form or another since 1972 and can still be found at events today.  With all those years of experience, Mike has many stories to tell and opinions to share.   This Installment:  Speed Meets the Snowbank   With Sno*Drift soon to launch the 2020 season of the ARA National Championship it seems…

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OpenPaddock RallyCast Episode 25 with Jason Anthony

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadAfter a bit of time off for the holidays, we’re back! In this show Mike has a special guest for the RallyCast, Jason Anthony who is a contributing writer to World Rally Blog.  Jason gives some great insight from a fan’s perspective of rallying in the US and abroad. We discuss how the 2017 seasons in the WRC and the USA will be remembered, and what we would like to see in 2018. Apologies for the background noise as we did our first “on…

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OpenPaddock RallyCast Episode 23

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWelcome to another edition of the Open Paddock RallyCast!  This week we draw all our attention to our co-presenter Ian Holmes and his trip to Wales Rally GB.  Ian goes in depth on what it’s like spectating a WRC event and the advantages and disadvantages of using a travel service like RallyTravel.com.  We also have a few quotes from friends of our show that co-drive in Wales and other bits of rally news.    Please let us know what you think of the show…

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